To ensure the reliability of a network link, a ring automatic protection switching (Ring Automatic Protection Switching, R-APS) protocol is generally used to perform switching on a failed link in an Ethernet ring, and therefore, the protection for an Ethernet service is implemented. One or more Ethernet ring protection (Ethernet Ring Protection, ERP) instances may be configured on one Ethernet ring. In each ERP instance, at least one link is set as a backup link, that is, a ring protection link (Ring Protection Link, RPL). When the ERP instance is in a normal working status, the RPL is in a blocked status, that is, ports that are on a node at any end of the RPL and participate in the ERP instance are blocked. When a certain segment of a link or a certain node that participates in the ERP instance is failed, the blocked ports may be opened and service transmission may be performed through the RPL.
However, in a conventional ring protection switching method, ring protection switching can only be triggered in a case of link failure or manual forced switching, and the ring protection switching is not flexible.